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PREVALENCE OF, AND CONTROL OVER, INFECTIOUS
AND OTHER DISEASES
The total number of infectious disease notifications received during the year was very
low, 487 compared with 1,836 the previous year. This was a very good year for infectious
disease as not only was the number of notifications low, but those who did develop symptoms
were affected more lightly than in other years, also in many cases the notification was not
confirmed by further investigation, so that the total amount of infection was actually less
than shown by these figures.
As it has been observed that measles occurs usually with a high incidence in alternate
years, this seems to agree with the figures in this Borough, for following the notification
figure of 931 for measles in the previous year, there were only 41 notifications from this
disease in 1954.
Whooping cough dropped from 563 to 65, and there was a drop in most of the other
figures also. The only disease which showed a notable increase in the notification figure
was dysentery, which went up from 12 in 1953 to 115 in 1954.
There were no notifications of diphtheria and none of puerperal pyrexia.
Particulars with regard to individual notifications are mentioned specially under separate
headings.
Monthly Bulletins of Incidence of infectious Disease
These bulletins were circulated monthly to all general practitioners in the Borough,
and, in addition to information with regard to infectious diseases occurring during the
previous month, any topical matter, or incident of mutual interest to general practitioners and
the Public Health Service, was also included; for instance, Home Accidents statistics, Old
People's Welfare information, etc.
Measles
Notifications of measles fell during the year 1954, being 41 as compared with 931 the
Previous year. There were no deaths from measles.

Poliomyelitis
Six notifications were received of acute anterior poliomyelitis; of these 4 were subsequently
confirmed as poliomyelitis, 2 paralytic and 2 non-paralytic. One death occurred
from this disease, of a notified paralytic case. Particulars of the surviving paralytic case
notified in 1954 and of the cases notified since 1949 and known to be still showing paralysis
in 1953 are as follows :—
1954: Case A. Facial and pala- Full recovery.
tial paralysis.
1952: Case C. Paralysis of left Boy now aged 3 years. Paralysis persists and growth of
leg. leg is retarded. Continuing physiotherapy.
Case D. Paralysis of both Boy now aged 5 years. Full recovery of power. Some
legs. shortening of right leg and foot. Has physiotherapy
treatment.
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